Saturday, February 02, 2013
Silver Linings
Playbook (M)
MENTAL illness in film is usually of the serious kind;
characters without a grip on their complete sense of self are ones that need
help and find it hard to come by as they face day-to-day life. It’s a common
part of life that has at least an indirect effect on most people, but to put it
with comedy is rare. No doubt the likeability of difference against other films
on the subject is something the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
voters have taken note of.
Bipolar disorder is a wide-reaching mental illness and the
drive behind Matthew Quick’s novel. David O Russell acts as director and
screenwriter in the adaptation where Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper) is released
from a mental health institution to his happy parents Dolores (Jacki Weaver)
and Pat Sr (Robert De Niro). It’s been a long eight months where he hasn’t
played by all the rules, but he’s home.
As the reasons behind his time become known, Pat is shown as
a straight shooter on top of his ability to bluff his way through a lot of
situations. He very much knows what is wrong with his situation and believes he
has the willpower to push past it and succeed. However, his prolonged refusal
to take medication is reflective of the views of many mental illness sufferers
who feel stifled by taking it.
Pat meets one of those by chance. Tiffany (Jennifer
Lawrence) is a mess, retreating to defensive conversation and other antisocial
behaviour in the time following her husband’s death. But a mutual attraction
from the two sparks an unlikely friendship centred on looking out for their own
wellbeing.It’s the opposite to most boy-girl stories in that sense, rejecting the notion of devoting yourself to someone else. There is no love lost between Pat and Tiffany as they try to find their silver lining through a warped understanding of each other and the neighbourhood they find themselves in.
The people Pat and Tiffany are surrounded by add to the story. Pat Sr is a bookmaker convinced his son’s return home has sparked a Philadelphia Eagles winning streak in the NFL; his friend Randy (Paul Herman) the dodgy friend always looking for the better bet. Then there’s Danny (Chris Tucker), Pat’s friend from the institution with his misguided positivity.
It’s a man’s world, spearheaded by the inclusion of a NFL rivalry sub-plot. The film feels very North American as a result, their pride for gridiron unlike those from any other sport’s fans, but Tiffany taps into that zone and bring it to its knees in a pivotal moment.
The screenplay displays the shouting ability of most of the cast as much of the story centres around arguments. Pat, Tiffany and those around them are fraught with confusion as they are all forced to consider what defines importance and happiness. Russell’s cast is excellent, Jennifer Lawrence mesmerising as a very troubled young lady.
Russell, an executive producer on Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, injects potentially flirtatious moments with deadpan sarcasm. It’s less risky than what it should seem, and the effect is paramount as laughs that should feel awkward don’t. This latest award season favourite mixes the young and old in presenting some of the best performers Hollywood has to offer.
Rating: 4/5
*Published in the Daily Liberal (Dubbo), Western Advocate (Bathurst), Parkes Champion Post and Midstate Observer (Orange) from Saturday 2/2/2013
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Chinatown (1974)
Roman Polanski didn’t make many films on US soil, but the ones he did, Rosemary’s Baby and this film, were the stepping stone to a strong Hollywood career. While that was not to be after a conviction, jail time and then fleeing to Europe in exile where he remains to this day, it hasn’t hurt fans that still revere his stories.
Chinatown is about a web of lies and hurt, a reflection of the years following the death of his actress wife Sharon Tate. The Polish director was extremely tense on set, arguing with almost everyone, and it mirrored the content of the story being filmed. It’s an uncomfortable film where a situation arises completely different to expectations.
Detective Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) is hired to determine whether water and power department employee Hollis Mulwray (Darrell Zwerling) is having an affair. But after Hollis’ wife Evelyn (Faye Dunaway) says it was a set-up and Hollis is then found dead, a set of connected occurrences have Gittes and his team delving deeper into the mystery.
Corruption surrounding councils and water is still a touchy topic today in some places, Polanski using that theme to his advantage by adding dark characters that don’t want to give much away. Nicholson is a straight shooter as Gittes, prying for answers that he sometimes cant get, and adds gravitas to an unnerving tale.
*Published in the Mailbox Shopper (Dubbo) on Wednesday 30/1/2013.
MISSED LAST WEEK'S REVIEWS? See what I thought of Django Unchained and Good Morning, Vietnam.
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